Lyra, Grayson, and Odette descend a hidden staircase in darkness after escaping their previous room. Lyra carries the sword and follows Grayson’s steps by sound, while resisting Grayson’s offer to take his hand because accepting feels emotionally dangerous to her.

The staircase leads into a small cylindrical metal chamber with a mirrored ceiling, a curved monitor, and a transparent retro telephone with a teal cord and neon-colored inner parts. Once Odette asks where they are, floor lights flare on, revealing the space more clearly.

A whirring sound follows, and the chamber’s metal walls shift to seal off the staircase, trapping Lyra, Grayson, and Odette inside. The monitor turns on and displays a set of cryptic instructions: from this point on, three paths diverge, and a hint remains but must be earned.

The screen connects the idea of riddles, puzzles, and Hawthorne games, then presents imagery of each team’s challenge: a crown, a scepter, and an empty throne. Lyra recognizes those words as an important clue, though the meaning is not yet clear.

The message ends by telling the players, “When you’re ready / Make the call.” As Lyra, Grayson, and Odette focus on the retro phone, the metal walls begin shifting again, leaving their next challenge unresolved.